Packaging Project Manager – Contract
Duration: Through the end of year, potential to extend.
Schedule: 40 hours/ week
Pay: 45-50/hr (based on experience level)
Remote (EST or CST)
Overview:
We are seeking an experienced Packaging Project Manager to oversee and streamline the creative packaging workflow within a dynamic, fast-paced environment in the healthcare and aesthetics industry. This freelance role requires a highly organized professional to coordinate timelines, reviews, and approvals across multiple internal teams and external partners to ensure timely delivery of packaging assets that meet regulatory and commercial standards.
Key Responsibilities
- Manage end-to-end packaging creative processes, including artwork initiation, dieline coordination, proofs, CAD files, and pre-production samples.
- Develop and maintain detailed project timelines, tracking milestones to align packaging deliverables with product launch schedules.
- Lead briefing sessions and kickoff meetings by gathering inputs, consolidating feedback, and prioritizing tasks for the creative team.
- Oversee change request management to ensure revisions are documented, prioritized, and implemented efficiently.
- Serve as the central liaison among packaging creative teams, sourcing operations, marketing, product development, copywriting, and regulatory affairs.
- Drive brand-wide packaging redesign initiatives by coordinating updates to design systems, templates, and creative assets with consistency and accuracy.
- Ensure packaging compliance with regulatory requirements (FDA, EU) and sustainability standards through thorough documentation and cross-functional alignment.
- Coordinate ingredient lists and copy submissions for translation to support international packaging artwork versions.
- Facilitate the procurement of pre-production samples for marketing activities such as photoshoots and product reviews.
- Manage scheduling and coordination of secondary product imagery photoshoots to align with primary packaging completion timelines.
- Liaise with suppliers for artwork proofing, file transfers, sample reviews, and vendor deliverable tracking.
- Maintain project documentation including version control, approval records, and status reports using project management tools like Monday.com.
- Conduct regular status meetings with stakeholders, prepare agendas, track action items, and ensure accountability throughout the project lifecycle.
- Support additional creative projects as needed to optimize workflows during peak periods.
Qualifications
- 5–7 years of experience in packaging project management or creative operations within skincare, beauty, consumer goods, or related sectors.
- Comprehensive understanding of packaging workflows encompassing dielines, materials selection, printing processes, labeling requirements, CADs, proofs, golden samples, and pre-production samples.
- Experience managing packaging supply chains and vendor relationships effectively.
- Strong familiarity with packaging terminology enabling clear communication across technical and non-technical stakeholders.
- Proficiency in project management software (Monday.com preferred) and digital review platforms such as Ziflow.
- Knowledge of applicable regulatory frameworks (FDA, EU) and sustainability practices relevant to packaging compliance.
- Bachelor’s degree in Packaging Science, Supply Chain Management, Business Administration or a related discipline is preferred.
